Having hung up the street bike road racing leathers and retiring from Supermoto at age 52, I took up MX to train and have fun. Not having raced MX since I was a teenager makes me a feel little out of the water on a modern MX track. But starting two seasons ago I raced my first Vintage MX race and loved it. Never had so much fun on a bike. I fact last season I almost lost my front teeth twice to rocks cracking thru my funky vintage open faced helmet. Having the 1989 KX500 as a vintage bike has advantages and disadvantages. On the good side, monster hole shots (I am 18 out of 18), decent handling when there are not ruts, did I mention the holeshots, it always starts, never breaks and is fun to ride. The cons are can't keep the front wheel on the ground, its hard to put on a stand after a long moto, terrible in ruts and won't stay cool in arenacross type events.
My lap times last year at an arenacross race in Salt Lake City where 37.72 on the 2011 KX450F and 37.92 on the 1989 KX500. The difference was the KX5 feels like it is moving slow and flows around the tracks, the modern KX450 fights you most everywhere and takes more rider input to keep it moving in a fast manner. KX500s are great fun and my daughter just picked up a 1986 KX125 to race the old man in vintage to go with her 2009 KX250F she races in the women's class.
For pictures go to
www.motofotos.net look for number 515 in both the vintage and over 50 classes at RMR
www.rmrracing.com. Our season starts Saturday. Join us if you are ever in the area.
